


these lines of lightning

by mid_nightowl (orphan_account)



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, brief appearances of pearl garnet and steven, brief mention of connie, in which amethyst is an ass and peridot is scared of storms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-18
Updated: 2015-11-18
Packaged: 2018-05-02 02:47:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5230985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/mid_nightowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"these lines of lightning mean we're never alone, never alone"</p><p>amethyst takes a leaf out of how she deals with pearl to try and help peridot waive her panic attacks during a thunderstorm. birthday gift for a meme who writes incredibly & this is probably not enough (i'm so sorry in advance)</p>
            </blockquote>





	these lines of lightning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mattecat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mattecat/gifts).



A particularly loud crack of thunder split the air, shaking the small house - only supported on the cliff face by rock and wooden beams - to its core.

It had been rainy all day, sure, but the thunderstorm came as somewhat of a surprise. Almost immediately following the thunder, there came a second, almost equal in sound, noise - that of Peridot screeching at the _top of her non-existant lungs_.

"Whoa, girl, chill." Amethyst was stretched out over the sofa with a particularly large bag of potato chips, not even blinking at the noise. "'Sjust thunder, y'know?" Another handful of chips went into her mouth messily as the Peridot glared away from the Gem, staring fearfully out the window for the next round.

"This.... 'thunder'..... is not present on the Homeworld." Her voice was flat and matter-of-fact, as per usual, but belied by almost unheard cracks in her voice and her entire body trembling, and soon followed by hyperventilation that increased in intensity every few seconds. "Hah! Who knows! It might even be the Cluster done with its period of incubation and ready to split the earth in half and SHATTER US ALL!! But!! No!! It's fine, it's JUST 'thunder'!"

"Yo, Peri, calm down. Steven explained this to you before, right? 'Sjust changes in heat or whatever, or something. Ehh, just ask Pearl, she knows about all this junk." She pushed herself off the sofa into a sitting position, legs still dangling over the armrest. "Wait, no, don't ask P. Wouldn't end well."

A pause. Peridot switched rapidly between anxiously staring at the sky out the window, and glaring at Amethyst.

"Actually, yeah, ask Pearl, it'd be pretty cool to see the two of you going at each other again, after those Robo-lympics."

As soon as the words were out, another crash of thunder shook the house to its foundations, yet again accompanied by Peridot's screaming. Amethyst raised an eyebrow, sizing up the green gem. As though sensing the eyes on her, Peridot whipped back around, glaring.

" _ **What is it**_?!" She may have intended to come across aggressive and threatening, but honestly, she sounded more like one of those really tiny dogs, the ones that went around yapping at every big dog it sees and running scared when the bigger dogs react. _What kind of really tiny dog would Peridot be? A papillon, probably, judging by her hair._

"Naw, just thinkin' that it's best if Steven and the others are out. You freakin' out on us would majorly freak Steven out, y'know?" She laid back down, wiggling her feet. "Plus, Garnet might just poof you again and bubble your gem to keep you quiet."

Peridot seethed with the threat, the green tint in her face intensifying by a few shades as her shaking was taken up a notch.

"Did you just _threaten_ me?!" Her voice cracked and jumped an octave midway though the word 'threaten', and Amethyst just had to smirk at it. "The Steven told me there would be no bubbling! And! Definitely no threats!! Are you going back on your word?! That's against the war rules!!!!"

Amethyst stifled her laughter long enough to choke out her words.

"WAR rules? Y'got RULES for WAR back on homeland?! Oh my God. Ohhhhh my God. Wait until P hears about this." She punched the backrest of the sofa, practically screaming with laughter as her feet kicked the air.

Another thunder strike, and another ear-piercing scream from Peridot (though out of fear or out of anger, she did not know), was enough to calm her down.

"Jeez, alright, calm down!!" She shoved herself back up into a sitting position, swinging her legs off the armrest to a more proper place. "But, y'know, another strike hit before that."

Peridot froze, and though Gems didn't need to breathe, her chest stilled for a second.

"Yeah, dude, it hit like.... halfway through the conversation. Didn't even notice!!" The smile she shot to Peridot said, in equal parts, _trust me_ and _don't trust me_. Peridot shifted her weight from foot to foot for a few seconds, scrutinising Amethyst carefully.

"You.... riled me up particularly for that purpose," she said, her voice measured and probing. Amethyst smiled wide, shutting her eyes and raising her hands to shoulder level in a small shrug.

"Yeah, dude, you were gonna bust your Gem actin' all stressed like that, and Pearl always forgets whatever else is going on when she starts on people, so.... figured it'd do the same for you." Her hands lowered back down to the sofa, smile still present, but carefully looking Peridot over for her reactions.

Another strike of thunder hit.... and, startlingly, Peridot started to laugh. Pretty much hysterically. Of course, like all laughing bouts, it didn't take long for Amethyst to join in, and soon the two of them were doubled over, screaming with laughter.

"Y-you.... you tried to! Make me mad! To calm me down!" She was dangerously near choking, tears streaming down her face. Amethyst was doing no better, one arm holding her ribs for dear life, the other pounding the sofa. Hard. Hard enough that it would probably break at some point.

Oh well. Pearl could sort that out later.

For now, Peridot was _calm_ \- as calm as you can be while laughing yourself to death - and the rain was subsiding.

Eventually their laughs subsided to giggles, to breathless wheezing, to silent trembling and wiping tears from their faces, before bursting out in laughter again - just as Pearl, Garnet, and Steven walked in.

"What is _**happening** _ here...?" The furrowed brow and concerned, confused voice fueled the Gems' bout, and soon they were back to being almost doubled over on the floor with the force of their laughter. Pearl looked back to Garnet, who simply raised an eyebrow, and walked right back out with Steven.

"Awww, c'mon Garnet, the rain only JUST stopped five minutes ago, and you said the storm was why I couldn't hang with Connie longer!"

His protests died over the distance, and Pearl simply shook her head, activating the Door to her room.

It took 15 more minutes for Peridot and Amethyst to calm down, and ended with the green Gem laying in the purple Gem's lap, still vibrating with silent laughter as Amethyst choked back giggles.

When they died to nothing, Peridot cleared her throat awkwardly.

"I, uh. I should. Probably. Express gratitude to you.... Amethyst." Her eyes were darting around the room, unwilling to settle on the face of the Gem she was currently sprawled over the lap of. "Not many would be willing to try and get me through that."

Amethyst made a noise somewhere between a 'pshaww' and a raspberry, waving one hand.

"Naw, no big, Peri. I got your back, remember?"

She leaned down to press a small kiss to the other's Gem. Reflexively, Peridot hid her face behind her hands, flushing a deep shade of green.

"Y-yeah. I remember."


End file.
